Resource consents

Environment
Southland produces plans under the Resource Management Act 1991, which
regulate activities that may impact our natural resources including
soil, air, water, and the coast.

Notices for prospective applicants:

Proposed Southland Water and Land PlanFrom
the 3rd June 2016, the relevant objectives, policies and rules of the
proposed Southland Water and Land Plan, in addition to those in the
existing Regional Water Plan, must be considered in all resource consent
applications lodged with Environment Southland.Can I have a meeting with a consents officer?You are welcome to request a free half-hour meeting to discuss resource consent requirements, or an application you have prepared before you lodge it for processing. Please phone us on 0800 76 88 45 to book an appointment.

​​​​​​​​​​When
applying for resource consent you need to complete the Part A form plus
any relevant Part B forms, and provide any other information requested
on the forms (such as maps or management plans).

Your
application must be mailed or delivered in hard copy to Environment
Southland. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications via email at
this time.

All applications must be
accompanied by the prescribed deposit shown on the Part A form. An
application lodged without the required deposit will be returned if
payment is not received within three working days. This deposit will go
towards our costs of processing the application. If the full cost of
processing the application is more than the deposit paid, you will be
invoiced the outstanding costs. If the full cost of processing the
application was less than the deposit, you may be due a refund.

Please note that annual administration and monitoring charges will apply after a consent has been granted.

Part A form

This form must be completed and accompany all consent applications made
to council. If you are applying for multiple consents, this form needs
to be completed only once.

If you're applying for an activity which
may adversely affect navigational safety in the coastal marine area (CMA), we ask
that you lodge a completed Technical Comment form from the Environment
Southland Harbourmaster with your application, to ensure the application
process is quicker. This is a request and not a requirement.

Construct a bore and undertake pump test

Cultivation

Cultivation
is an issue for Southland’s water quality as it moves sediment,
phosphorus and E.coli as runoff or overland flow. Under the provisions
in the proposed Southland Water and Land Plan, cultivating on sloping
land remains a permitted activity if you can meet certain criteria. If
not, you may need to apply for a consent. Read the factsheet to find out
more about this.

Note: You are NOT required to send a separate Part A form for this activity.

Gravel extraction

Example application for gravel extraction​​ If you're applying for an activity which
may adversely affect navigational safety in navigable rivers, we ask
that you lodge a completed Technical Comment form from the Environment
Southland Harbourmaster with your application, to ensure the application
process is quicker. This is a request and not a requirement.

If
you are uncertain as to whether you need a consent for your proposed
activity, please contact the duty consents officer on 0800 76 88 45 or service@es.govt.nz
for further advice. We can provide information on what consents you
might need, how to apply, and what information you'll need to provide.
Additionally, you are welcome to request a free half-hour meeting to
discuss your application and any questions you may have before you lodge
it for processing.

Which rules apply?

There are currently a number of resource management plans in
play. This is because the rules in the proposed Southland Water and
Land Plan have legal effect from the date of notification (3 June 2016)
but the existing operative plans still have full legal effect and weight.

Some
existing activities have been allowed (permitted) by the operative
plans, but they need a resource consent under the proposed plan.

In
some cases, you may be able to continue your existing activities
without consent if the effects are the same or similar in character,
intensity and scale, and you were carrying out this activity before the
notification of the proposed plan (3 June 2016).

What is an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)?

What does notification mean?

The
Council decides whether the application will be non-notified, limited
notified, or publicly notified, on the basis of how it will affect the
environment and/or other parties. This will affect whether written
approvals will be needed, or if submissions from other parties can be
made.

If an application is notified,
it means that there is a specified period in which other parties can
make a formal submission on the application. Notification may be
"limited" so that only certain parties can submit, or "public" so that
anyone can submit.

More information about the different types of notification can be found in the document Applying for a Resource Consent produced by the Ministry for the Environment.

What is consultation?

Consultation
involves discussing your proposed activity with potentially affected
parties before lodging your application. The Ministry for the
Environment has developed a Guide to Consultation in order to assist applicants undertaking consultation.

Where can I find information for my application?

Environment Southland has a GIS mapping service called Beacon,
which is available to the public. Here you can find property details,
consents in your area, and environmental information such as soil
classifications and water quality.

How long will it take to process my application?

The
Resource Management Act 1991 requires regional councils to process
consent applications in 20 working days. However, this length of time
can increase under certain circumstances including when:

further information is required

a technical review is commissioned

written approvals from affected parties are needed

the application is notified

a hearing is required

If you have an application lodged with Environment Southland, the processing officer will keep you updated with its progress.

How can I get a copy of a consent?

You can find out information about your consent, including its reference number and expiry, through our GIS mapping service Beacon. You can also request a copy of a consent by contacting the duty consents officer on 0800 76 88 45 or service@es.govt.nz.